How do you prefer to travel abroad? | 4WDTalk - Overlanding and offroad Forum
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How do you prefer to travel abroad?

Salvador

Well-known member
Let me ask you this. There are places I want travel too, however it doesn't make sense to ship my truck overseas. So if you want to overland in other countries, how do you do so without your truck? Yeah you could rent a truck, but it's not going to be offroad ready?

So what do you do?
 
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That is my "had travelled" map by my own car (https://www.4x4tripping.com/p/our-campsite.html)

You can calculate by yourself, the rental prices in foreign countries are available at a tiny internet research.

A well equiped 4x4 "overlanding ready" truck as a rental starts to be more expensive than shipping mostly upwards beginning from 16 days upwards.

Depending on "how you do" the shipping part. Container, container shared or roro has usually different prices. You cant use a rental for crossing africa, to bring another example...

Even in south america or iceland, you cant get really a cheapie. Yeah, you can rent "normal cars", non 4x4, non overlanding ready, using a tent & portable cooker - but that is not the same.

trippin
 
Trippin, impressive trekking you have done! But when you ship, can't customs take a while to get your rig when shipping? I have thought about this in the past and was warned that customs could take upwards of 15-20 days to get clear?
 
So you got me curious on this and sure enough, renting a ”expedition“ ready truck with rooftop tent in Chile will run $123 per day at 8 day minimum. I thought it would be much higher than that myself.

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OK, so that only covers ~155 miles per day, I haven’t been able to track what they charge per mile there after. And upon closer look there are other small fees including insurance that isn’t included in my earlier price per day cost. But still seems pretty manageable for short trips, but as already stated if over 16 days, that’s going to compound fast and I would rather ship my rig for that cost. Then again shipping fee‘s might be crazy these days as well with high fuel cost. Heck mailing a toothbrush is crazy expensive, so can hardly imagine what something like a car would cost.
 
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The thing is, that you probably arent that happy, to use suche a car, if you have at home a modded 4x4 for is done and modded exactly for your needs.

Personally I did too trip with rental 4x4 in Laos and Thailand. I did just rent 4x4, did bring overlanding basic gear and bought some stuff on the local market.

Did wrote about in my blog: https://vanlife.4x4tripping.com/2021/09/overlanding-with-a-rental-car.html

For me the way to go, specially for shorter trips. For extended trips starting from 6 Weeks I would ship my vehicle. Also because my vehicle is better maintained, has new tires, is more offroad capable and needs less repairs.

I never has more breakdown as on my rental trip in cuba, with an old peugeot 206...

Or would consideringto buy an local car, the most underrated option we have. But also need a lot of preparation, do do that savely.


trippin
 
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Did you stay in tents or hotels for the trip? You bring up a good point about security, sleeping in a tent won't be much on the secure side, not to mention opens up the question on where you are going to shower and take care of business.
 
Did you stay in tents or hotels for the trip? You bring up a good point about security, sleeping in a tent won't be much on the secure side, not to mention opens up the question on where you are going to shower and take care of business.

Security is always something in your mind. Out of 120`000km of international overlanding I had two really dangerous situations, one in mauretania (africa), one in europe (spain). Mostly there where you dont exept it.

We don't live on a planet where "saw movies" or similar horror movies are realistic scenarios. Winning the lottery is far more likely than getting caught up in something bad without doing your own part.

Cuba is very safe, laos and thailand are very safe locations too. And I`m a guy, 1.94m - mostly a lot taller than the locals. Why should anyone try to get me mad?

At least if you are there for travelling - and are not for asking for problems, you can travel those countries without any further preparation (basic research is always helpful, read below).

Asking for problems are: drugs, doing illegal stuff, beeing not nice to others, girls, showing your richness. You are a guest, you dont fight for the right thing, for your rights, for what you think is your right. Be nice, be defensive, be open mindet, spend cash, smile.

Yes, if you smash your car in an accident, you may be "the guilty guy". But your car is insured and your insurance (with a rental) will look for keeping the payment low. Yes, in tourism areas the locals can try to betray you for money exchange and similar. You can prepeare infront of your trip. Read the sex & crime sections of the local newspapers, have a look to expat web communities. Look at social media.

You will not need 30 min to see, that renting a jetski in puket can lead to problems and illegal payments as en example. So dont rent jetsky`s there. You read about issues with rental bikes in koh samui, where they want money to give you your passport back. It is always the key - preparation and knowledge. You can get a 2nd passport at home in front of the trip, just give away the spare without the entry stamp. Or bring your bike back with some time left - so that you can sort things relaxed.

Outside of the "mass tourism path" - everything is safe and nobody even think about bullshitting you. So what can be unsafe? Animals? They eat most of them - so it is hard (but not impossible) to find a snake, big spider or something bigger at least in asia.

Be careful, be prepared and absolutely nothing speaks against a ground tent in that travel destinations. For showers ask at a guesthouse or hotel, for your business using a spade - is at least abroad a way to go. But yes, the blog article about portable foldable toilets are higly visited, if you know what I mean.

trippin
 
Bumping 'Trippin' post because there are very good tips in there and more people should be aware of. I'm curious though, you mention you had two really dangerous situations, what happened?
 
When I rented a car in Italy and the following trip in Germany, insurance was more expensive than renting the cars as I remember! So the above price isn't accurate unless insurance is included.
 
Bumping 'Trippin' post because there are very good tips in there and more people should be aware of. I'm curious though, you mention you had two really dangerous situations, what happened?

You can read about the both situations here:

Mauretania: http://transafrica2012.blogspot.com/2012/11/inreach-message-from-viermalvier-reisend_19.html

Spain: https://vanlife.4x4tripping.com/2022/05/in-wrong-place-at-wrong-time-vanlife-wildcamp-dangerous.html

for those who are abele to read german language, follow these link for the article about "what happens in spain": https://www.4x4tripping.com/2022/05/adrenalin-sicherheit-beim-wildcamping.html

trippin
 
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